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The black eyed lady of the lowlands

Some days ago Jackie lost the wag in his tail. Ian the gardener here said that tails are real tell-tale signs of a dog’s health. I contacted an on-line vet and you might be interested to see our correspondence. “My dog is in a lot of pain. He is nearly 4 years’ old. 3 years [...]

Midweek Momentum

Wednesday afternoon: Kira comes back from school half-early and wearing someone else’s jacket. It is yellow, like hers, but also nothing like hers. It is twice her size, has a tartan design on the inside, and no zip. She didn’t notice. (Didn’t notice?) We go back before the (bigger) owner of the jacket does notice. [...]

The last feat of Senhor Felix

Senhor Felix must have been quite a character, and his farm – the pride of the entire village. Half a hectare of sunny terraces – and he must have had a good go at covering it all in vines, fruit trees and vegetable beds. Older people tell us about it in the local bar, putting [...]

The revolution will not be electrified

Perched high above the rolling hills of Vigo lies an expansive university complex. It’s a stunning location, an inspired choice by people who must have realised what a special setting they have: a bay that forms a natural port, protected from the ravages of Atlantic winters, surrounded by hills on all sides, a city built [...]

News from the Laundry House

This morning was almost the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen. It was positively hot outside my front door .  I put Jackie’s basket out for him on the snow which he loves. But then I went down to the bottom lawn to take a picture of my snowman (pathetic I know) and it was [...]

A game of monopoly

It came in a shiny tin box for Christmas.  The Romanian version, with credit cards instead of cash. There were four of us: me and Alina; Lara, who is 9, and Luca who is 6. We laid the board out on the floor of the kids bedroom, which is a bit cramped.  But we were [...]

The water diet

By Gavin Last night Margo made spaghetti with a tomato and salami sauce. It was very tasty and I had a second helping. That was very tasty as well so I had a third helping. Since no one was joining me, I piled the last of the spaghetti and sauce into my bowl, and topped [...]

The factory of my childhood

My heart sank as my eyes took in the view. Fallen concrete walls, debris reminiscent of bombing and an empty space that allowed me to see far beyond the railway, beyond the river, to the hills and the village tucked in their lap. We were on the train, just leaving Piatra Neamt, when this view [...]

Battling triffids

By Magnus Our land was left to nature for 25 years or so. Lots of things grew, but the bramble was King, invading anywhere that wasn’t already thornified by something else. We cut it back between summer and autumn and since then have enjoyed a full view of the land in all its potential. A [...]

How do you prune an olive tree – and why?

By Magnus I asked folks from a local tree nursery to come and have a look at our trees. We’d heard it was time to prune everything (before the sap starts running again when it gets warm). So he came on Thursday despite the rain. It’s rained here most of the last month, but mostly [...]

The Urban Yurt

By Monica Early February. Winter stretches on, strong and stern, and I can see the point of hibernation. To sleep through the bitter cold, the grey days, the never-ending rain; to curl up in your den, in your hay, in your fur, ah the joy… to awake in mid-birdsong on a sunny-crisp-and-clear day in March. [...]

Six Degrees of Dread

By Monica A BBC headline this morning declared that “Global Warming is ‘Irreversible’”. Another added that “Emperor Penguins Face Extinction”. A lot was written about our many woes (oil and money, food prices, storms, refugees, wars)… It was surreal to see this unfold, lifted straight out of the very pages I’ve been reading – Mark [...]